Blood, Sweat, and Tears
by TwitchySeaHorse
Summary: S-star?" He asked coughing on his own blood, "I...love...you..." He said. His eyelids dropped; Starlight felt it, he was completely gone. She kissed his forehead as more tears fell onto his face. "I love you too..." She said, "I love you too."
1. The Cell Games Begin

Blood, Sweat, and Tears  
  
Chapter 1: The Cell Games Begin  
  
"Don't you want to eat something before you go?" Chichi pleaded with her husband and kids. She knew that food was their weakness. It was the day of the Cell Games. They were on their way out the door when she ran to them, begging them to stay. The nine days had gone by too quickly. She wanted to spend more time with them. Especially Goku. They never had enough time together anymore.  
"Mom, we gotta go. Don't worry; we'll be back okay. Love ya!" Starlight said as the three jumped into the sky towards the arena. Tears formed in Chichi's eyes as she watched them disappear from sight. Alone, she walked back into the house.  
"Dad, do you really think that we'll make it. I mean come back alive?" Gohan asked after five minutes of flying. Goku crossed his eyebrows in thought. He couldn't tell his kids what he really thought would happen. So he smiled reassuringly.  
"We will make it. Trust me on that one." He said smiling at both his kids. Starlight sensed the uncertainty in her father's voice. Her stomach was in knots. She didn't want anything to happen to Gohan or her Dad. Or anyone else for that matter. There were only two Senzu beans left to split between all of the Z fighters. They had already discussed that one of them would be specially designated for Starlight when she ran out of power for seeing the future. It was such a useful attack, but it drained her of so much power to control it that it could only be used three times before she was too weak to move. They boosted their speed and got to the arena in less than fifteen minutes. They were the first ones there, with exception of Cell. He was standing in the middle of the arena smirking.  
"Ahh Goku, so good of you to come. I look forward to our battle." He said. Goku smiled.  
"Can't wait." He said grinning. He was scared, but he felt a fire inside him burning. He loved a good challenge. Even if it could kill him. Several minutes later Vegeta and Trunks arrived.  
"Hey guys." Trunks said. His face was solemn. He didn't smile or show any emotion at all. Instead he turned and stared hard at Cell. As if staring could kill him. Vegeta turned his back to the others and scowled.  
  
"Hey Vegeta." Starlight said, trying to be cheerful to keep everyone's spirits up, but also trying to not sound too happy as to get on Vegeta's nerves. Vegeta grunted a small hi, but not everyone heard it. Starlight smiled upon hearing that and walked over to Trunks. "What's the matter?" She asked putting her hands on his shoulders. Trunks turned around and looked at her.  
"To tell you the truth, I'm scared. I'm scared of what might happen to us, or the world." He said emotionless. "I don't want to die here. I don't want you to die here. I don't want any of us to die, except maybe Cell..." He said crossing his eyebrows and clenching his fists. Starlight's heart twisted. He was normally optimistic about situations like this, but it seemed like lately he was taking the weight of the world on his shoulders. Starlight hugged him.  
"Don't worry, we'll all make it out alive. I promise." She said trying to reassure him. By then everyone else was there: Krillin, Yamcha, Tein, Piccolo, and even Android 16. Cell smiled and walked over to the center of the arena.  
"Welcome challengers." He sneered at them. "Who's first?" He said glaring at Goku. Goku smiled and was just about to say something when a helicopter appeared in the sky. Everyone turned their attention to the skies. Hercule, the man who claimed to be the strongest in the world jumped out smiling. A cameraman was right behind him, shooting the footage.  
"Cell I'm a gonna take you down! Yep I'm the first to go. You'll be sorry you ever messed with earth!" He threatened. Cell got a strange look on his face and smiled.  
"Okay, you know the rules..."  
"Yeah yeah, come on!" Hercule teased getting into a fighting stance. Cell did nothing. Hercule grew angry and couldn't wait anymore. So he lunged at Cell. Cell never moved. Hercule clashed with Cell, smashing his fist on Cell's shoulder. "Owww!" He screamed. Then he quickly regained his posture. He tried again but this time Cell stuck out his arm, hitting Hercule in the face, making him fly out of the ring. Hercule was knocked out fair and square in less than five minutes flat. Cell turned his attention back to the Z fighters.  
"So like I said, who's first?" He asked.  
"Me." Goku said firmly, as he stepped into the ring. "Don't hold back anything." He said smiling as he powered up and became a Super Saiyan. Cell grinned.  
"Of course not." He said thrusting towards Goku at a speed unimaginable. Goku jumped into the air and sent an energy beam towards him. Cell dodged and repeated Goku's attack right back at him. Goku was caught off guard and fell to the stage floor.  
"Star!" Goku yelled a few minutes after he got up. Starlight generated one third of her energy to her index finger and placed it on a pressure point on the back of her neck. Her eyes closed and she saw a vision of Cell grabbing her father by the throat and choking him until he was black and blue.  
Cell began to go for Goku's throat with out him knowing. "Dad! Behind you! Cover your neck!" She yelled. Goku turned around kicking Cell in the stomach. Cell lost his breath and doubled over in the air. Starlight began slightly panting. She used up most of her energy with just that one attack. She could only do it two more times before she was too drained to lift a finger. Goku was being tossed around like a rag doll but he never let his guard down. Cell was getting frustrated after almost falling out of the ring twice. So he flew up into the sky and blasted it to pieces.  
"Now," he panted, "Let's finish this thing, rule free." He said. Goku nodded, panting himself.  
"Have it your way." Goku replied cupping his hands and bringing his wrists together behind him. "Ka......Me.....Ha....." He began. Cell smirked and did the same. "Me......" They said in unison, "HAAAA!" They both fired huge blue blasts at each other. Starlight figured that now was the perfect time to look into the future so she did the same ritual as last time. She saw her father's blast over coming Cell's and blasting his entire upper half to pieces. She smiled, but collapsed. Trunks caught her in his arms.  
"You okay? That vision better had been worth it." He said.  
"It was..." She breathed, "I think that my dad's gonna win this one....but then again I have a bad feeling about this." She panted looking at the blasts. Her vision came true and Cell's lower body stood there squirming. Goku panted, breathing hard. His hands were still poised the way they had been earlier.  
"Starlight I think this battle is over, why don't you see what we're gonna do next?" Krillin asked. Starlight thought, sure why not? What have I got to lose? She did the steps, generating every last ounce of her power and focusing it to her finger, and then she saw a vision. Cell's lower body kept squirming back and forth, then it bulged, his body expanded and he came back to life. Starlight came out of her vision, shocked, and almost too weak to move. Trunks, noticing the look on Starlight's face, looked into her eyes.  
"What's wrong?" He asked as she began trembling.  
"The horror won't end." She whispered, and then she gathered what strength she had left and screamed, "DAD FINISH HIM NOW! OR ELSE HE'LL REGENERATE!" She lost all energy. She was just dead weight in Trunks's arms. Goku got a scared look on his face, and slowly turned to look at Cell. It was too late. The bottom half was bulging, then Cell's upper body came back. He got an evil look on his face.  
"I hate that. How stupid are you? I do have Piccolo's cells in me; you knew that I could regenerate. Did your pride cloud your vision? Heh, don't worry, remember I am also part Saiyan...I get stronger after each near death experience." He smiled. Goku's eyes widened. He was done. That last blast used up most of his energy. Then he got an idea.  
"I forfeit." He said powering down, "And I choose to bring in Gohan as my counterpart." He smiled, walking over to Gohan. Gohan was shocked; he didn't want to fight Cell. What was his father thinking? Starlight looked at her stunned brother.  
"Gohan...." She whispered, there wasn't even enough energy to talk, "You can do it......I know you can....." She said, her head dropped. She managed to bring it up to look at him. "Kill him." She said. By now she was too weak to move, all she could do was blink and breathe. Trunks looked at her and motioned for the Senzu beans from Krillin. Krillin tossed the two remaining beans to Trunks, who fed one to Starlight. She regained her strength and stood up. Gohan was still paralyzed with fear for what his father wanted him to do. Starlight walked over to Gohan and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know you can do it. Remember my motto, 'Don't think, just do'. Good Luck." She said patting him on the back, breaking the thin layer of fear.  
"Don't think, just do. Don't think, just do." He kept mumbling under his breath as he walked over to Cell. Goku stepped back with the others. Trunks offered him the last Senzu bean, but Goku refused, telling them that they shouldn't waste it on him. Gohan stared hard at Cell. Immediately they began fighting. Punch after punch. Kick after kick. Starlight and the others watched on as Cell began losing. Starlight used her powers twice, getting nothing. The first one she saw a vision of Cell kicking Gohan in the stomach, but he dodged it. Then she saw a shocking second one. Android 16 was latched onto Cell, announcing that he was going to self-destruct. Starlight kept her mouth shut; for two reasons, one that she used up more than half her energy and it would weaken her to talk, and two she knew that keeping her mouth shut about it was probably for the best. Soon after seeing it, her vision came true. 16 jumped up to Cell and wrapped his arms around him.  
"Wh-what the hell are you doing?" Cell screamed in complete terror when he realized that he couldn't move.  
"I am equipped with a self destructing device! I'm gonna kill you!" He yelled. Gohan screamed.  
"NO! DON'T DO IT! I DON'T WANT ANYBODY ELSE TO DIE!" Gohan was infuriated. 16 just smiled.  
"Goodbye Gohan." He said. Then he began glowing, like he was going to explode. But nothing happened. Krillin's eyes bugged out.  
"B-B-B-Bulma t-took it out! S-she said it w-was too dangerous!" He stuttered. Android 16 got a look of surprise on his face and his grip on Cell loosened.  
"No." He said with a look of defeat. Cell, seeing his opportunity wriggled out of 16's arms and grabbed him by the throat, smiling. Then, forcefully, he threw him down on the floor and blasted him to pieces. His head was the only thing left. It landed right in front of Gohan.  
"Goodbye..." He said, then Cell walked over to him and stepped on his head.  
"Stupid trash." He said. Gohan fell to his knees and stared at the pile of broken head.  
"Y-you monster." He said, "YOU MONSTER!" He screamed, lunging at Cell. They resumed their fighting. Then, about an hour later Cell got desperate. He stopped several yards away from Gohan, panting.  
"That's it, now you've pushed me too far..." He said. Then he began screaming. The hole at the end of his tail opened up and eight black shapes popped out. When they took form everyone saw that they were mini- cells! Cell began laughing. "Hahaha, how do you like my cell Jrs?" He laughed. The Z fighters all got scared looks on their faces. Not thinking, Krillin took out the last Senzu bean to give it to Goku. But once Cell saw the brown bag appear into sight he blasted it away with the point of a finger. They were horrified. Cell began laughing even harder. "Hahaha! Now you have nothing to heal yourselves with. Oh and did I mention that all my little Cell Jrs. has the same attack strength as me! Muahaha...ATTACK!" The mini-Cells flew towards the Z fighters, who were all powering up, making the match evenly spread out, one on one. 


	2. Tear Stained Death

Chapter 2: Tear-Stained Death  
  
Starlight was too weak from using her psychic powers to see into the future. The Cell Jr. that took her on was winning. Then he flew up into the sky and began a "Big Bang Attack." Goku, still weak from his battle with Cell, noticed that his daughter was too weak to even dodge. Thinking quickly he rushed over to her, held her close to him, and turned his back to the attack (something he does often with Gohan). Starlight was stunned. She hadn't expected him to do that. She pulled away from him, noticing that they were both energy drained and were both panting. The two Cell Jrs laughed nefariously and joined forces. Goku and Starlight were too weak to dodge and ended up getting hit a lot. Trunks, still struggling with a problem of his own, noticed this and knew he had to do something. He distracted his counterfeit Cell with an energy blast and rushed to the aid of Goku and Starlight. The two could barely stand anymore. Then a kick sent Goku falling to his knees.  
"DAD!" Starlight yelled with all her might. She went over to him, noticing that he was barely breathing. The two little freaks went into the sky and began a conjoined Kamehameha Wave. It's all over, sorry I couldn't help you more Dad.....Starlight thought to herself. She stood up with her back to Goku, to barricade him from the blast. It worked. He wasn't harmed. But Starlight on the other hand, wasn't harmed either. Trunks had made a security bubble to protect her and Goku. Starlight, still awaiting the pains of the blast, opened her eyes. Trunks was standing in front of her. All three of them were surrounded in a blue bubble. He was losing energy fast. "Trunks? What are you doing? Go away, save yourself!" She pleaded. He turned his head to her.  
"No. Like I said, I don't want any one to die!" He yelled as the bubble grew larger and exploded, sending an impact on the Cell Jrs., tossing them far away into the sky. Gohan was busy with the large Cell when he noticed the trouble his friends and family were having with the others. He was enraged.  
"STOP IT!" He yelled, "STOP HURTING THEM!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. His energy flared, his power increased greatly. He was still screaming as his hair grew shorter and he reached a new level of Super Saiyan. His eyebrows crossed. He blasted the Cell Jrs. away from existence through his rage. Everyone powered down. Starlight was relieved. She rushed to her father's side. He smiled at her.  
"I'm very proud of you.....but never try to sacrifice yourself like that for me again okay?" He said standing up drunkly. Starlight nodded and collapsed in her father's arms. She was drifting in and out of consciousness as Goku placed her on the floor, propping her up against a rock. Meanwhile, Cell was getting desperate. Then he felt a bubbly feeling in his stomach as he threw up Android 18. Everyone gasped. Krillin quietly flew to her side and rushed her away. Cell was overwhelmed, all his Cell Jrs. were destroyed and he was no longer perfect, and he found out the grueling truth; he was going to lose. Then he had a flashback to what Android 16 had said:  
"I was built with a special self-destructing device," he had said, then he glowed for a while but nothing had happened because it was removed....Cell had that same device.  
Cell smirked and gathered the energy needed to trigger the bomb inside of him. He began laughing maniacally as he grew larger and began bulging. "I too am an android....BUT MY SELF DESTRUCTING DEVICE WAS NEVER TAKEN OUT! I'M GOING TO BLOW UP AND TAKE THIS PATHETIC PLANET WITH ME!" He screamed. Gohan was appalled. He dropped to his knees. It was all over, there was to way to stop it from happening. The Earth would be gone in a matter of minutes. Tears formed in his eyes. There was no stopping him. He glared at Cell as he grew larger in size, there were only several seconds between now and their demise. Gohan pounded the rocky ground with his fists, creating craters. Goku's mind was racing as he placed the Earth in front of his life and selflessly transported himself to the side of Cell. He placed a hand on the enormous alien's body and brought his two fore fingers to his head.  
"Goodbye son. Take care of your sister and your mother for me." He said softly, and with that Goku and the threat to Earth were gone. Goku had made the ultimate sacrifice by transporting Cell somewhere else, therefore sparing the Earth. Gohan felt the tears leave him for a short while. He was too grief stricken to even cry anymore.  
If I hadn't held back so much I could've beat him. Dad would still be here. He thought to himself. Then the tears returned. "COME BACK DAD!" He yelled. By now Starlight had regained full consciousness. Her bottom lip quivered. Tears formed in her eyes but never fell.  
"Oh Dad..." She whispered looking into the sky. Everyone was too shocked to move. Even Vegeta.  
"Kakarrot you stupid softie..." He grunted in his own arrogant way. No one moved a muscle. They just stood there trying to comprehend what just happened. Then Starlight had a random vision (meaning she didn't use her powers, it happened out of nowhere, so she didn't lose any energy). She saw a bird flying overhead and then bright yellow light coming out of nowhere and piercing Trunks in the chest. He died instantly. She came out of her vision scared. She stopped breathing and found herself gasping for air. She looked up and saw a bird, the same bird, flying overhead. Then she felt it. The power that would kill her best friend.  
"TRUNKS LOOK OUT!" She tried to scream out loud. He was confused. Then he saw the bright yellow light come towards him with amazing speed and crash through his armor, skin, bone, and eventually through his heart. Starlight had been too late. He fell to the floor, with blood all around him. (A/N: This is the part that bothered me.....) Everyone stood there, staring at him, not offering a helping hand. (A/N: So I fixed it....) Starlight gathered her remaining strength and rushed over to him. She picked up his head, trying not to look through the gaping hole in his chest.  
"Father." He said reaching a hand out towards Vegeta. Then his head fell on Starlight's chest and the little life he had left slowly drifted away. Starlight bit her lower lip. She needed to scream, she needed a shoulder to cry on. And up until now Trunks had always been that shoulder. Now he was dead. Gone forever. She looked down at his dead body and shut her eyes tightly, as if doing so would make it all go away. But it didn't. His corpse still bled in her hands. She opened her mouth and screamed a rage of fury, tears falling for her departed friend. It wasn't the death of her father that had been upsetting her that much. Cell didn't exactly kill him. But he had killed Trunks.  
Vegeta was mortified. He had never accepted Trunks as royal blood up until now. His mind began flashing back to all the times he told Trunks that he was worthless. That he was too weak. That he would never amount to anything. Now, now that Trunks was finally gone, it hit Vegeta. All Trunks wanted was for his father to love and care for him. Vegeta was enraged. Tears formed in his eyes. He couldn't control his anger. He balled his fists. He yelled out loud. His hair flashed yellow. Tears were streaming down his face. He charged at Cell. Cell was not expecting this sudden burst of rage, everyone was. As Vegeta went ape-crazy on Cell, Starlight brushed the hair out of Trunks's eyes.  
"Your death will not be in vain." She whispered softly to his dead body, "Your father and I will avenge you..." Starlight said baring her teeth. Tears fell onto his face. He blinked weakly and opened his eyes ever so slightly.  
"S-star?" He asked coughing on his own blood, "I...love...you..." He said. His eyelids dropped; Starlight felt it, he was completely gone. She kissed his forehead as more tears fell onto his face.  
"I love you too." She whispered pulling him closer to her, "I love you too." 


	3. Vengeance

Chapter 3: Vengeance  
  
"Hahahaha!" Cell laughed maniacally as he threw Vegeta to the floor. Vegeta screamed out in pain as he saw his end approach. "Finally, the royal blood line will be disposed of! Vegeta, you and that son of yours were nothing compared to my awesome powers! Muahahaha!" It was hard for Starlight to watch. She stood up and clenched her fists so hard that she drew blood. She couldn't stand aside and watch Cell kill two Saiyans in one day. She rushed to the aid of Vegeta with newfound strength. Cell never saw her coming. She punched him in the face, making him fall to the ground. She ran to Vegeta and began to help him up.  
"I...don't need your help..." He grunted in a soft whisper. She ignored him and picked him up. Then she put him on the hill that everyone else was standing on. Then she flew back to Cell. By now he was up and angrily staring at the demi-Saiyan.  
"Ha...hahaha.....HAHAHAHAHA! Stupid girl! Did you honestly think you could beat me out of a fit of rage?" He said, laughing maniacally again. Starlight walked one step closer to him and turned Super Saiyan. She drew her sword and sliced him across the chest. He stopped laughing abruptly and clutched his chest.  
"Why you little!" He screamed lunging at her. He threw a kick at her face but she dodged it. She glanced over at Trunks' dead body.  
"Trunks..." She whispered. "I WONT LET YOU DOWN!" She yelled, her face wet with new tears. She was the worst when it came to controlling her anger.  
"Starlight?" Gohan asked whispering. "What are you doing?" He said watching Starlight and Cell go at it. Starlight slipped and Cell grabbed hold of her neck.  
"My, my this looks familiar." He said, tightening his grip. "Oh now I remember. This is how you looked when we met. And if I remember correctly, the annoying one with the sword saved you." He laughed, looking at Trunks' body. Starlight began turning blue as she clawed at her neck. Cell laughed even more, "Hahaha, I guess he won't be helping you any time soon!" He punched Starlight in the stomach and dropped her to the ground. He formed a small yellow energy ball in his hand.  
"And now for the grand finale..." He laughed loudly as the ball grew. Starlight coughed up blood as the fatigue returned to her. Her eyes widened in fear as she realized she couldn't get up. She closed her eyes and waited for the end.  
Gohan, who had been watching from a far, rushed to the side of his fallen sister. He threw himself on top of his sister, shielding her from the blast. Unfortunately, his left arm was broken in the process. Cell grew angrier as he saw Gohan stand up and pick Starlight up with one arm.  
"Thanks." She said smiling.  
"No problem," Gohan said, "Can you walk?" He asked in a concern- ridden voice. Starlight nodded and Gohan gently placed her feet on the floor. She stood up drunkly and walked over to where she had laid Trunks' body. Meanwhile, Gohan went to resume his battle with Cell.  
"I'm sorry...There was nothing else I could do." Starlight said, kneeling down at his side. From behind a rock she heard a muffled grunt. Then out from the shadows came Vegeta. Despite the horrible condition he was in, he still sported his usual smirk.  
"My son would be proud. You fought hard." He said. Then he realized that he sounded too sympathetic and snorted. "But a TRUE warrior would still be out there fighting!" He said, satisfied with his statement. Starlight chuckled to herself as they both turned to face the battle.  
"Cell!" Gohan said, "I wont let you kill my friends and get away with it!" He threatened. He seemed to be losing. Cell began to laugh again.  
"Hahahaha! You think you can beat me? You're nothing but a kid!" He yelled as Gohan placed his wrists together and brought them to the side of his waist. Cell did the same.  
"KA........ME..........HA.........ME..........HAAAAAAAAAAA!" They screamed in unison. In no time, Cell's beam began to overcome Gohan's. Gohan was losing faith in himself rapidly. His head dropped and he felt like he couldn't go on any longer.  
"I can't do this...I give up." He whispered, losing energy.  
"GOHAN!"  
"Dad is that you?" Gohan asked out loud. Everyone else stood up and looked around. They heard Goku, but they didn't see him.  
"YES GOHAN IT'S ME. I'M TALKING TO YOU THROUGH KING KAI. BUT NOW'S NOT THE TIME FOR EXPLANATIONS! GOHAN DONT GIVE UP! REMEMBER ALL THE INNOCENT PEOPLE HE KILLED! REMEMBER ANDROID 16! REMEMBER TRUNKS! THINK ABOUT YOUR MOM AND YOUR SISTER! THINK ABOUT PLANET EARTH! ALL OF THIS THAT WE STRIVED SO HARD TO PRESERVE WILL NOT GO TO WASTE! FINISH HIM!!!" Goku yelled as Gohan became enraged. His beam began to over power Cell's. Starlight gathered her remaining energy and channeled it to Gohan. Everyone else did the same. Cell looked around with a look of fear as everyone ganged up on him.  
"NO! I AM A PERFECT BEING, I CANNOT BE DESTROYYYYYYYEDDDDD!" Cell yelled as Gohan's Kamehameha Wave overcame his. Every cell of Cell blew up. There was nothing left for him to regenerate from, they all made sure of that. Starlight fell to the floor with a slight smile on her face. She sighed deeply.  
"Well Trunks...I guess we did it."  
  
~FINISHED 


End file.
